Death Notice Book 8: Chapter 58: The Undead

“The undead from the Twin Towers?” Stark asked in surprise.

According to the information the Apostles had gathered earlier, the Twin Towers on the northern and southern slopes of the Cloud Peaks and the Tower of Durlag, although belonging to the two great Forbidden Zones of Life and surrounded by numerous undead creatures, had never ventured beyond these areas.

Unlike the baseless fear ordinary people held toward the undead, the truth was that the undead had much stricter requirements for living conditions compared to sapient races. Humans, elves, dwarves, and most other sapient races could survive tenaciously in icy plains and deserts as long as they had access to water and food.

The undead, however, were different. They did not need food or water, but they were very particular about their surroundings. Most undead had no consciousness and instinctively stayed in cold, dry places where sunlight could not directly reach them.

Otherwise, their bodies would decay more easily, and even their bones would gradually become brittle due to calcification. A small impact could cause them to fall apart. Additionally, the areas they inhabited had to be rich in yin energy to nourish their undead bodies, much like lubricant for a machine.

The so-called yin energy was a type of plague-like miasma formed by the fusion of dark elements and earthly energies. From the perspective of magicians, it was also referred to as the death cloud.

The Cloud Peaks were called the Cloud Peaks precisely because the area was rich in earthly energies, filled with dark, toxic miasmas, making it the most suitable environment for the undead. The Twin Towers and the Tower of Durlag, the former being a military fortress and the latter a magic tower, were both initially filled with Magic Elements, making them the most likely places for the undead to awaken.

To this day, these two places had become Forbidden Zones of Life, teeming with wandering undead. However, the people of Faerûn, including those in Baldur’s Gate to the north of the Cloud Peaks and Amn to the south, paid little attention to these areas.

This was not because they were unaware of the dangers posed by the undead, but because they saw no need to provoke them. No matter how terrifying the undead were, as long as they stayed put, it did not matter.

Stark was taken aback and quickly asked, “Aren’t those people afraid of death?”

“They won’t die because they are already dead. The Forbidden Zone of Life cannot keep them from entering or leaving,” Bonnie replied, his expression darkening with hatred.

After his explanation, Stark gradually understood. Most of the undead in the Forbidden Zone of Life had no consciousness, but a small number of them were self-aware. These undead had been knights of the Twin Towers or elven magicians of the Tower of Durlag in their past lives.

These individuals were already powerful in life, and even after death, some of their strength remained. Over time, they awakened from their slumber and became self-aware undead. Their original powers allowed them to undergo a Class Change, transforming into Death Knights and Liches.

However, regardless of whether they retained memories of their past lives, they had become entirely different beings. Their fragmented memories made these higher undead feel as if they were watching a movie, and their dead hearts no longer beat for the moving scenes.

“Of course, without external influence, the higher undead of the Twin Towers and the Tower of Durlag would still show no interest in the living,” Bonnie said, taking a deep breath with frustration. “In fact, the Amnian Guard discovered undead at the foot of the Cloud Peaks a month ago. But since their numbers were small, we thought it was just an accident.”

“External influence?” Stark frowned and asked.

“Leader Stark, didn’t you know that some undead on the continent are not naturally formed?” Bonnie sighed. “There are always some evil magicians who, in pursuit of power and immortality, transform themselves into Necromancers and Liches.”

“You mean this was done by Necromancers? But what is their goal?” Stark stroked the stubble on his chin and asked noncommittally.

“Well, we initially thought it was an accident, so the High Council of Amn did not take it seriously. But the situation quickly worsened. The undead from the Tower of Durlag began to spread, appearing in the Serpent Forest and the Green Plains north of the Cloud Peaks, even threatening the Uldoon Trade Way.”

Bonnie looked somewhat embarrassed, as he was partly responsible for this. His signature was on the initial undead report. “The undead from the Twin Towers, on the other hand, spread to the Serpent Forest and the Warm Lake basin. The Serpent Forest is not a big concern, as the elves there will handle it. But once the undead cross the Warm Lake River from the Cloud Peaks, they will reach the densely populated Two Rivers Region…”

“The Two Rivers Delta is home to many human cities. Even if the undead don’t enter the cities, just the sight of them by merchant caravans traveling along the main roads would likely cause widespread panic. By then, the trade routes in the Two Rivers Region would be thrown into chaos. Amn, which relies on trade to govern, cannot afford such losses. Rumors about the undead would undoubtedly destroy Amn’s current prosperity.”

“So the Amnian Guard’s blockade of the Serpent Forest is meant to keep the undead trapped in the north!” Stark suddenly understood. It seemed they had already been affected by this undead resurgence.

“After the Amn Council learned of this critical situation, they quickly responded, ordering the Guard to blockade the Serpent Forest and the Warm Lake area near the Twin Towers. They also directed Guard members to collaborate with local militias, forming squadrons to eliminate all undead that ventured out of the Cloud Peaks.” Bonnie said with a faint smile.

“If Amn falls, only Tethyr and Calimshan will benefit. Merchants would then have to take sea routes to the Northlands. Amn, the commercial gem of the Sword Coast, would never be the same again. This would not be good for mercenaries like you, who rely on protecting merchant caravans for a living!”

Stark, however, ignored him and began discussing with the others in the Team Channel. The Apostles would not stay in Amn for long. According to the mission list, it was unlikely they would return to Amn again.

After a while, Stark pretended to snap out of his thoughts and looked at the armored knight, asking, “How many undead have you encountered?”

“Not many, only about a hundred low-level undead!” Bonnie’s eyes flickered, avoiding Stark’s interrogative gaze.

Stark found it amusing. Although he looked rough and sturdy, he was no fool. Moreover, the deputy leader of the Amnian Guard seemed terrible at lying—whatever was on his mind was immediately reflected on his face.

“You should know that even if we agree to help you, if we find the situation doesn’t match your description, we can still back out,” Stark said threateningly. “Either explain everything clearly upfront, or go find someone else!”

Despite Stark’s harsh tone, Bonnie did not get angry this time. He was a warrior too and understood that fighters on the frontlines despised being deceived, as such deceit often led to heavy casualties.

“We really only saw about a hundred undead, most of them low-level skeletons and zombies. They appeared at the entrance of a small valley by the Warm Lake!” the armored knight sighed and continued, “After receiving the report, I led a squadron of cavalry to eliminate them. But these undead… seemed to know how to coordinate. After we charged, we found ourselves surrounded. Without a running start, the warhorses had no speed, and the cavalrymen were pulled off their horses one by one. Forced to fight on foot, we quickly lost half our men…”

“You mean there was a Necromancer or Lich inside the valley commanding these low-level undead?” Stark’s eyes lit up as he immediately understood.

“Yes, that’s just a speculation, but I won’t shirk my responsibility. The valley terrain was very limiting for cavalry, and this failure was entirely due to my underestimation of the enemy.” A hint of determination reappeared on Bonnie’s face as a faint blue aura flashed.

“We cannot allow these undead to enter the Warm Lake, or they will contaminate the water source. But the nearest Amnian Guard camp is half a day’s journey away. A round trip would take a full day…”

“So you’re desperate and decided to pin your hopes on us!” Stark now fully understood the situation. The Team Channel fell silent as the other Apostles, including Robin and Qin Lun, largely believed Bonnie’s account.

“Ordinary mercenary groups can’t handle these undead, but you seem to be an exception,” Bonnie said meaningfully, giving Stark a pointed look.

“Oh, why do you say that?” Stark’s pupils contracted. It was one thing for the armored knight to be desperate, but if he had noticed something about them, the situation would be different.

After all, Bonnie was neither a magician nor a church knight. If even he was sensitive to the aura of the Apostles, then what was the point of hiding among the merchant caravan?

“Don’t misunderstand. I have a detection magic item, given to me by the higher-ups of the Amn Council this time. Apart from the undead, only the aura of powerful beings could trigger its reaction.”

Bonnie’s expression turned somewhat surprised as he continued, “In our cavalry unit, aside from me, very few warriors could trigger its reaction. But you…”

“Alright, I roughly understand the situation you’ve described. But I still need to discuss it with my companions to see if we can help you,” Stark raised his hand, cutting off the armored knight. He then turned to look at the caravan and said lightly, “Besides, there are a few other strong individuals in this caravan who don’t belong to our mercenary group. We’ll need to seek their opinions as well.”

“Give me your answer quickly. Time is of the essence!” Bonnie took a deep breath and said seriously.

After waiting for a while, the anxious Bonnie finally received Stark’s reply. The mercenary group had decided to help the Amnian Guard. The condition was that after this mission, they would receive official recognition from the Amnian Guard and, if necessary, protection from the local garrisons within Amn.

Overjoyed by Stark’s reply, Bonnie quickly reached an agreement with the caravan. During the mission, Hulan’s caravan would have to stay at a nearby military camp for a few days, waiting for the mercenary group’s return. Meanwhile, the mercenary group, led by the Amnian cavalry, headed straight for the Valley of the Undead by the Warm Lake.

At the same time, the Apostles’ Soul Sigils repeatedly chimed with relevant notification messages.